Old timer told me to sharpen my chisels every 30 minutes last year, I laughed, now I get it

I was framing out a kitchen remodel in Des Moines back in March and this retired cabinetmaker watched me struggle for like 5 minutes. He walked over and said I was working too hard with dull tools. Told me to stop and sharpen every 30 minutes no matter what. I brushed him off because I thought it was a waste of time. Finally tried it last week on a custom built-in job and my cuts came out way cleaner with half the effort. Anyone else have a piece of advice they ignored for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

mason_knight4d agoTop Commenter

That old timer was probably laughing at you while you were wrestling with that chisel, same way I was laughing at myself when I finally listened to the same advice about six months ago. I ignored my dad telling me to take breaks every hour for my back, thought I was tough and could push through, now I'm 35 and my spine sounds like a bag of chips when I bend over. Sharpening every 30 minutes sounds obsessive until you realize you're spending less time fighting the tool and more time actually cutting wood. I swear half my early projects looked like a beaver chewed them because my chisels were basically butter knives. Now I keep a stone on my bench and hit the edge every time I walk past, which is probably excessive but beats the alternative.

the_kim4d ago

Right, because who needs a spine that doesn't sound like stepping on a bag of chips when you bend over? I'm 28 and my lower back already gives me grief just from leaning over a workbench for three hours. I keep telling myself the sharpening every 30 minutes is wasting time, but then I remember the alternative is wrestling a chisel that's begging for retirement. My first dovetails looked like a toddler with a butter knife had a tantrum, so I get it. Maybe I'll start keeping a stone on my bench too, at least then my tools will be sharper than my life choices.

the_robin4d ago

34 and already hearing your own spine when you bend down?